Agnipath Scheme: SC Agrees To Hear Pleas Challenging the Scheme Next Week

Dhanbad: Youngsters block railway tracks in protest against the Union government's Agnipath scheme, in Dhanbad. Representative image.

(Photo: PTI)

The Supreme Court on Monday, 4 July, agreed to hear the pleas challenging the Union government's widely contested military recruitment scheme Agnipath next week.

Three public interest litigations (PILs) have been filed against the scheme so far.

A vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari said that the petitions would be listed next week before an appropriate bench after the apex court's summer vacation ends.

The new recruitment scheme aimed towards the youth aged between 17.5 and 21 in the armed forces for a contractual four-year term was unveiled on 14 June, sparking widespread violent protests across the nation.

Several instances of stone-pelting and arson of trains and other public and private property were observed across the nation.

Advocate ML Sharma, one of the people who filed a plea against the scheme, said Indian Air Force aspirants have undergone training and were waiting for appointment letters but their career would be cut short from 20 to four years, reported news agency PTI.

“This is an urgent matter, kindly list it. The careers of several aspirants are at stake,” the counsel said.

Meanwhile, on Friday, 1 July, the Indian Army and Navy began their recruitment processes under the Agnipath scheme, the defence ministry stated. The Indian Air Force on 24 June started its recruitment process under the scheme and it received 2.72 lakh applications till Thursday.

Three PILs in Supreme Court

A public interest litigation (PIL) petition was filed before the Supreme Court challenging the Constitutional validity of the Agnipath scheme which proposes to induct youth into the army for four years.

The petition filed by Advocate ML Sharma has prayed for quashing of the notification dated 14 June 2022, issued by the Ministry of Defence announcing the scheme, according to Bar and Bench.

Earlier, advocate Harsh Ajay Singh also filed a PIL seeking directions to the Union government to reconsider its scheme. He also sought a stay on the implementation of the scheme from 24 June, news agency ANI reported.

Advocate Vishal Tiwari had also filed a PIL for direction to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct an inquiry into the violent protests that erupted against the scheme and to investigate the damage caused to public property and the Railways.

The petition had also sought directions to set up an expert committee under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge to examine the scheme and its impact on national security and the Indian Army.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI and Bar and Bench.)